This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lifting devices for removal of honey-filled combs from supers.
When bees fill the combs with honey, they tend to glue the comb assemblies to the super thus making separation thereof extremely difficult when it is desired to removed the honey-filled combs from the super and breakage occasionally occurs during this operation thus requiring time consuming repairs of the honey comb assembly. They can of course be re-used under normal circumstances.
The prior art includes several Patents which attempt to assist the apiarist and in this regard reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 1,848,485 which includes a pair of spring loaded inturned hook elements which may be engaged under one member of the comb.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,184,491 shows a somewhat similar member except that the device includes two pair of hooks actuated by a trigger mechanism and U.S. Pat. No. 1,559,868 discloses a lifting handle with hooks extending downwardly therefrom which engage the upper member of the comb by a twisting action thus forcing the hooks into engagement with the upper comb member.
None of these are satisfactory because of none of them address the problem of breaking away the comb from the super, it being understood that most honey-filled combs are firmly glued into position by the time they are full thus making it extremely difficult to separate the comb from the super without damage or breaking occurring to either one or the other.